Tradition - Steven Engler

Tradition: A Critical Primer offers a fresh exploration of the concept of tradition, moving beyond conventional definitions to uncover its deeper intersections with ideology, memory and social power. Rather than merely asking what tradition refers to, this book investigates how tradition functions as a dynamic force, linking and reflecting concepts such as authority, modernity, religion, ritual and identity. Grounded in the study of religions, it draws from diverse theoretical perspectives-including decolonial, cognitive and hermeneutical approaches-and critically examines thinkers such as Halbwachs, Gadamer and Morin.

With discussions spanning religious and cultural practices across the globe, and four case studies on topics such as Brazilian Candomblé and Indigenous traditions in Canadian law, the book highlights how tradition operates in a world marked by multiple modernities, post-colonial cultural identities and ideological conflicts. Offering students and scholars alike a toolkit for understanding tradition as a living, contested and ideologically charged concept, this work reframes tradition as a space where identity, power and social transformation intersect.